The Audience Falls Silent

I had heard about a ... a writer's group ... in my city where a writer could recite their poem or short story on a stage with an audience I decided on a poem ... of my heritage ~ a feather lost, gliding and drifting, it soars in the mighty wind, it twirls and swirls once the 'People' owned all the wilderness ~ I was so nervous and trembled for days I worked on memorizing the lines of my poem making all my friends listen over and over again speaking it to a mirror with smiles .. and no smiles ~ there, upon a sheer jagged cliff an appaloosa horse of many colors stands majestic and this Ojibwe girl gazes under an azure sky ~ we had to listen to several talkers before my turn they were so good that my heart sank I would look like a fool ... to my friends but when my name was announced I gathered up my 'courage' and strength and stepped ... on the stage ... standing silent for a moment ~ there, in the mighty wind that roars and howls eagle feathers in my hair and on my horse flutter and the vast lands of Canada seek the horizon ~ when I finished reciting my poem there was a deafening quiet the audience fallen silent I take a breath and look around the room oh, why were people so still ... and then ... the sound of cheers ring out and all the audience stands ... to clap for this Ojibwe girl ... ~ there, above in that cloudless sky canopy eagles fly ... symbolizing the spirit and strength of the 'People' and the only sound ... those fluttering feathers in the wind ~ .. and a feather lost ... drifts into the audience ___________________ May 6, 2021 Poetry/Free Verse/the audience falls silent Copyright Protected, ID 05-1352-902-06 All Rights Reserved, 2021, Constance La France Written for the Premier contest, The Audience Falls Silent sponsor, Kai Michael Neumann, Judged 06/02/2021